This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7119 from an application for NOTEBOOK COMPUTER earlier filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office on Jul. 13, 2001 and there duly assigned Ser. No. 2001-42323.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a portable computer system, and more particularly, to a portable computer system improved in a structure of an LCD switch controlling power supplied to an LCD back light.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a portable computer system such as a notebook main body is small and light and thus handy to carry, but on the other hand it cannot be used outdoors in the case that electric power is not supplied when a battery is exhausted. Therefore, in order to prolong the duration of a battery, technologies minimizing electric power consumption have been continuously developed by a portable computer system manufacturer. In the portable computer system, electric power consumption is relatively high at an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) back light which scans an LCD panel so as to display a picture. Therefore, if the electric power consumption required to display a picture at the LCD panel is minimized, the duration of the battery may be effectively prolonged.
However, in these portable computer systems, it is possible to control electric power supplied to an LCD back light only when an LCD assembly is opened and closed. Thus, there is a shortcoming that it is impossible to control electric power supplied to the LCD back light, in the state that the LCD assembly is opened. To make up for the shortcoming, a portable computer system which can be controlled through a keyboard has been developed, but this main body makes another shortcoming that it requires a separate switching control process as software.
Further, in the case that electric power supplied to the LCD back light is controlled through the LCD switch, it requires that a push switch, and a pushing projection or a hook for pushing the push switch should be separately provided at the main body and the LCD assembly, respectively. Therefore, a structure thereof becomes complicated, and the cost of production becomes increased. Moreover, when a design of the main body or the LCD assembly is changed, it requires additional time and efforts because a design of the push switch must be changed together with the pushing projection or the hook.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved power control for an LCD panel in a notebook computer.
It is also an object to provide a simple power control in a notebook computer enabling a user at will to turn on or turn off power delivered to a back light of the LCD panel.
It is further an object to provide power control for a LCD display in a notebook computer that doesn""t require extra hardware or software and is inconspicuous.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide power control of an LCD monitor through a present and previous position of a slidable latch part that is used to lock the LCD display onto the main body containing a keyboard.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide a simple mechanism that allows a user to control power delivery to an LCD when the LCD panel is open, interrupt power automatically when the LCD panel is closed, and to manually lock or fasten the LCD panel to the main body when the LCD panel is closed.
These and other objects of the present invention may be accomplished by the provision of a portable computer system having a main body, and an LCD assembly rotatably combined to the main body and opening and closing onto the main body, and including an LCD panel displaying a picture thereon and an LCD back light transmitting light for displaying the picture on the LCD panel by power supply, the LCD assembly further includes a latch hole provided at one of the main body and the LCD assembly, a latch member installed in the latch accommodating part provided at the other one of the main body and the LCD assembly, and reciprocating from a hooking position at which the latch member is hooked to the latch hole to a releasing position at which the latch member is released from the latch hole, and an LCD switching part installed in the latch accommodating part and controlling electric power supplied to the LCD back light according to the position of the latch member. Preferably, the latch member is movable from the releasing position to a predetermined extension position via the hooking position. Effectively, the LCD switch part cut off the electric power where the latch member is positioned at the hooking position or the extending position.
Preferably, the LCD switch part includes a pushing projection provided at the latch member, and a multistage push switch controlling the electric power by means of the pushing projection where the latch member is positioned at the hooking position or the extension position, and pushed or released where the latch member is positioned at the extension position passing through the hooking position. Effectively, in the latch accommodating part is provided a spring elastically pulling the latch member toward a hooking direction. Preferably, the latch hole is provided at the main body, and the latch accommodating part is provided at the LCD assembly. On the other hand, the latch hole may be provided at the LCD assembly, and the latch accommodating part may be provided at the main body.